According to data from a combined team of humanitarian workers, a total of 200 families have succumbed to the heavy pour and have since been relocated to the Independence Stadium grounds, spurring an upswing in the number of people housed in tents from 720 early this week to 800.

Lusaka, once southern Africa’s sun shine city has been shrouded in floods which have left hundreds homeless and inadequate sanitary services. The floods which have virtually submerged some houses up to window level in some high density residential areas have been blamed on poor planning of the city by the municipality.

AfricaNews reporter said it is not the first time perennial rains are causing havoc to the Zambian capital whose roads and drainage system have been choked for years.

A volunteer who pleaded anonymity told Africa News, “There are now 800 people, representing 200 families at the Independence Stadium. 60 families have been brought here in the last five days. This is chaotic and I hope this does not turn into a disaster.”

Deaths

While the number of people, especially school going children, who have died since the onset of the floods is yet to be collated, 11 people have been confirmed to have died as a result of cholera nationwide. The Ministry of Health recently told reporters that the 11 that died of the lethal waterborne disease are not connected to the floods that have rocked the southern African state in the past three months.

High density low cost residential areas where floods have totally submerged the houses and backyard gardens have had their power supply cut-off from the national electricity grid, causing unnecessary power cuts to unaffected neighbourhoods and spring theft.

Police are refusing to patrol flooded zones while the country’s electricity utility firm has maintained, it will not light up the flooded areas in order to safeguard people and its installations.

Combined efforts from the Office of the Vice President’s Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit, Zambia Red Cross Society, Zambia Army and other agencies are helping alleviate the suffering of thousands of flood victims overcome their daily challenges.

Politics

Opposition leader, Hakainde Hichilema, who heads the United Party for National Development (UPND) has castigated Rupiah Banda’s administration of having failed the Zambian people.

Zambia heads to the polls next year and political commentators have not ruled out the possibilities of this year’s floods taking prominence in the 2011 polls after controversies surrounding Chinese investments in Africa’s largest copper producer.

President Banda has been accused of opting to take foreign trips at the expense of suffering Zambians. He has been challenged to declare the flood affected areas a national disaster and win the support of the international community and the United Nations.